WSJ Report: “If You Get in a Car Crash, the Risk Is Growing Your Insurance Won’t Pay”
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, American insurance companies, across the board, are denying a larger percentage of car-crash claims than they did a decade ago. This pattern is reflected to some degree across all insurance providers in this area, and shows no sign of reversing.
This trend is particularly steep when it comes to medical payouts for injuries sustained from crashes. Medical claims in the insurance world cost more, have damages that are not as easily fixed, and can have long term implications and ongoing costs for medical care months or even years into the future.
There is no universally-accepted reason as to why these rates of rejected claims have increased. Depending on the individual claim, insurance companies cite a myriad of technical justifications as to why they reject or pay. The Wall Street Journal quoted Douglas Heller, the director of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America, as saying “The industry uses claim lowballing and denials to wring extra profit out of customers who don’t have the resources
or, in some states, the rights to fight back.”.
Consider Switching Insurance Providers:
As a licensed driver, you are required to have car insurance as an active driver in The United States, however you have the right to choose and change your insurance provider at any time, for any reason. To best maximize your chances of your insurance company honoring your personal injury claim, revisit your contract whenever it needs to be renewed, read through the contract to understand any changes that have been made, and do not assume that the background rules and norms of the insurance industry have remained unchanged in regards to personal injury claims. If you feel that your contract is not being followed by your insurance provider, and that you risk covering your medical costs, contact a lawyer to help you with your claim.
How a Lawyer Can Help:
There is no way to entirely prevent insurance companies from denying your claims. This is why it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as a crash occurs. When you contact a lawyer regarding your injury, make sure to provide your insurance contract and paperwork, any photos and paperwork associated with the crash, and medical records and bills that concern injuries resulting from the crash as well. Lawyers are trained to read and apply contracts to real-life situations, and will represent you and your needs to the insurance company.
Read the Full Wall Street Journal Article Here.
For legal counsel for your set of facts, contact the attorneys at Sandberg Haddon LLC.
DISCLAIMER: This article is not intended for and should not be used as a replacement for legal advice.